Are you a Casual, Serious, or Hardcore RPG gamer?

[Mercurius]

Here are some general guidelines. My guess is that we have very few "Casual" gamers here, although I could be wrong (if you vote for Casual I think you should rethink! ). And yeah, I know, "don't fence me in" and all that. This poll doesn't have to perfectly describe your gamitude, just pick the closest option.

The following is taken from this thread.

CASUAL: May own rule books, but only a few and only for the purpose of playing. Rarely thinks about gaming outside of a session. Plays no more than once a week, probably less (has a hard time committing to more than once or twice a month). Almost by definition only plays, never DMs (except maybe trying it once or twice). Doesn't go on internet forums about gaming, at least not more than once or twice to check things out (may run quickly the other way). Definitely doesn't know what "The Forge" is.

SERIOUS: Owns many game books, perhaps a few shelves worth. Buys books on a semi-regular basis, but selectively (and not necessarily to play; may be for "idea-mining," entertainment reading, etc). Thinks about RPGs frequently, even daily, but may go days or even weeks without picking up a game book or playing. Plays frequently but probably not more than once a week, and only one campaign at a time. May or may not go on internet forums frequently. May or may not know what "The Forge" is.

HARDCORE: RPGs are central to one's hobby/entertainment life. Owns many game books, probably hundreds if not thousands. Buys books on a monthly basis, spending a significant portion of disposable income. Either has a game room or wants a game room. May play in multiple campaigns at once. Basically wants to play as much as possible. Probably goes on internet forums; almost certainly has logins on ENWorld, RPG.Net, etc. Knows what the "Forge" is and has assigned GNS theory to oneself.
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[Intense_Interest]

While I would self-identify as "serious" on this chart, not only do I believe we're talking about a spectrum rather than a binary grouping, but there would probably be about five separate cohorts of the "casual" group, divided between the "doesn't play", "doesn't know a group to play with" "doesn't spend money", "cheetoist" and "only faintly aquainted".

In other words, don't fence (other people) in, Dangit!

 

[jdrakeh]

None of the above, based on your definitions. But I voted "Casual" because that's the kind of gamer I feel like.

 

[Crothian]

Way too much emphasis on the Forge.

 

[Mercurius]

None of the above, based on your definitions. But I voted "Casual" because that's the kind of gamer I feel like.

Uh, right--with almost 6,000 posts and a name I recognize from here and RPG.Net, you're definitely a "casual" gamer.

Out of curiosity, what do you mean you feel like a casual gamer?

 

[Mercurius]

Way too much emphasis on the Forge.

Don't be such a simulationist.

 

[Jack7]

Merc, this is me for the most part.

Buys books on a semi-regular basis, but selectively (and not necessarily to play; may be for "idea-mining," entertainment reading, etc). Thinks about RPGs semi-frequently, but may go days or even weeks without picking up a game book or playing. Plays frequently but probably not more than once every two weeks to a month. May or may not go on internet forums frequently. May or may not know what "The Forge" is. (I wouldn't without looking it up.)

However, with this caveat.

I don't really play games anymore, and never really did, just for the sake of playing games. That is to me games always served a particular function and helped me with other things. If I played just to play then I wouldn't. But I have found RPGs invaluable tools with helping to achieve other objectives. And in both a fun and beneficial way as well. But I don't game just to game. But when I do game I tend to be serious, in the fact that I wouldn't game as just a distraction or time killer.

But I like humor in my games, and I tend not to take gaming seriously in the same sense as I would take a profession, and certainly don't normally think it something worth getting upset or arguing agitatedly about. So in that way I'm casual in mind-set.

So I reckon I'm casually serious.
Or something like that.

 

[jdrakeh]

Uh, right--with almost 6,000 posts and a name I recognize from here and RPG.Net, you're definitely a "casual" gamer.

Out of curiosity, what do you mean you feel like a casual gamer?

Well, today, I rarely play RPGs, I have whittled down my RPG collection to one bookshelf of games that I've spent dozens of dollars on, and I've sworn off buying new RPGs (I occassionally print off a free PDF or something, though). So, currently, I'm a Casual gamer.

A few years ago, I was Serious gamer who compulsively bought RPGs with the intent to play them, I gamed semi-regularly, and I owned a metric load of RPGs that I spent hundreds of dollars on.

About ten years ago, I was a Hardcore gamer who compulsively bought RPGs whether I intended to play them or not, I gamed pretty much every minute of every day that I wasn't working, and I owned a metric load of incredibly obscure RPGs that I paid thousands of dollars for.

Also, somewhere in between Hardcore and Serious, I got published, fell in love with The Forge, fell out of love with The Forge, etc, etc.

 

[Mr. Wilson]

Hardcore, though you place way to much emphasis on The Forge. You don't have to like Indy RPGs or RPG theory to be Hardcore.

 

[Mouseferatu]

You don't have to like Indy RPGs or RPG theory to be Hardcore.

Or even to work in the industry, for that matter.